'THERE ARE MANY mysteries in Bali,' confides Wayan Kecug as we sit on a crude bench in his rice paddy, scouring the sky. As the light starts to fail, a small group of herons fly dart-like into the village and settle delicately into the upper branches of a tree.
Within minutes, there are dozens, hundreds, thousands, and the trees are so thick with these wading birds, they appear to be covered in snow.
The herons arrived in this tiny village near Ubud, the artistic heart of the island, in November 1965, and have remained ever since. Their numbers are estimated at around 15,000.
No one knows why they came, and where they came from, but the superstitious residents believe they are a sign that this village just outside Petulu is blessed by the gods. We ask Wayan to tell of other mysteries, and he remembers the devastating eruption of Mount Agung to the east, which killed more than 1,000 in 1963.
Preparations had been made for the holy Eksa Dasa Rudra ceremony at Besakih, Bali's most sacred temple, on the lower slopes of Agung.
It was the first such ceremony, dedicated to protecting Bali from all ill-fortune, for more than 100 years, but many believed the priests had chosen an inauspicious date. Agung grumbled throughout the proceedings, and, days later, exploded.
The disappearance of tourists this year has also mystified many in Bali, but not Wayan. 'The tourists have read about the troubles in Jakarta and other parts of Indonesia, and they are afraid to come,' he says. 'But Bali is safe.'